DA seeks $100-M loan from China agri machinery body

The Philippines is seeking a fresh $100-million loan from the state-owned China National Agricultural Machinery and Export Corp. (CAMC) to fund the Department of Agriculture’s fishery sector projects.

At the same time, the Chinese and Philippine governments are mulling a joint venture in deep-sea commercial fishing wherein Chinese vessels could fish in Eastern waters of the Philippines while Philippine vessels could fish in the South China Sea.

Agriculture Undersecretary Cesar Drilon said the DA is preparing a proposal for a $100-million loan to finance the rehabilitation and upgrading of some of the country’s key fishing ports.

"We have informed our counterparts from CAMC that we would like to avail of loans to finance and implement some projects such as mobile ice plants, reefer vans, establishment of processing plants for milkfish, sardines and tilapia among others," said Drilon.

CAMC had bankrolled the rehabilitation and expansion of the General Santos Fish Port Complex in Mindanao, a $25-million project that formed part of a $100-million financial protocol between the Philippine Government and the People’s Republic of China in the field of agricultural modernization and development.

The new fish port will enhance the capabilities of the fish port complex currently being used by local and foreign frozen fish suppliers. The project includes the construction by CAMC of 500 meters of deep draft wharves to accommodate large tonnage fishing vessels over 300 tons.

Ancillary facilities to be provided will include cold storage facility with 1,500-ton capacity, 500-cubic meter wastewater treatment plant, pipeline collection systems, overhead water tank, and power sub-station with stand-by generator set. Aside from these facilities, the expansion project will also include putting up infrastructure for fish landing and marketing, centralized operations and unloading of fishing vessels and carriers.

The expansion project will spur maximum capacity utilization of existing canneries in the area, improve quality handling of frozen fish products, increase employment opportunities, and accommodate the additional volume of wastewater that will be generated from the expected industries inside the complex.

The joint venture in commercial fishing for the Eastern seaboard in the Philippines will have to be 60-percent Filipino and 40-percent Chinese.

"We stressed that the arrangement should be in accordance with Philippine laws and consistent with the Constitution. Both sides agreed that if ever there will be joint venture arrangements in Eastern Philippine waters, it should also be in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission," said Drilon.